Month: April 2024

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 2nd Week of April 2024

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Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post – this time for the 2nd Week of April 2024. Work took over last week, so I couldn’t get as much out. And I have a feeling that my work might take over my life this week, so I am looking to draft some reviews to be on hand should I need a or a few early nights to recuperate. Plus, I have plans today for another album review and to begin drafting one addition album review for a 2023 album before moving onto the very long list of 2024 albums I want to review. So a lot of work for me. In the meanwhile, here is the Weekly KPOP Chart post for 2nd Week of April 2024.

Throwback Song of the Week

Each week I pick a song from the past to feature in this segment. It is recognition for the fact I listen to more than just the currently charting songs. And revisiting these songs are truly a blast from the past. Plus, I am hoping that this segment introduces new listeners to some great songs that I have enjoyed from my many years of listening to KPOP. I listened to many good yet oldies this week to get through my work. A few hit hard, but nothing got many repeat as B1A4’s debut single O.K.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

As my focus on this blog is primarily on KPOP songs, I draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in the Korean language in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song is the top ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. The past week’s non-Korean song of the week is ZEROBASEONE’s YURA YURA. It ranks in the 17th position this week.

The Charts

Congratulations to ONF and their latest single Bye My Monster for debuting in the top spot for the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 2nd Week of April 2024. This felt very expected, given how much I enjoyed the song from the moment I first listened to it at the start of the week.

PositionSong TitleArtistChange
1Bye My MonsterONF(NEW)
2NectarTHE BOYZ(▲ 19)
3Deja VuTXT(▼ 2)
4Welcome To The ShowDAY6(▲ 1)
5Love or DieCRAVITY(▲ 5)
6FUEGOThe New Six (TNX)(▲ 20)
7SmoothieNCT DREAM(▼ 3)
8ShopperIU(▲ 5)
9BODYHIGHLIGHT(▲ 42)
10C’est La VieCRAVITY(NEW)
11BBBPURPLE KISS(▲ 40)
12Sugar RushBIBI(▲ 37)
13Midas TouchKISS OF LIFE(▲ 11)
14BirthARTMS(▲ 37)
15Wish You HellWENDY (Red Velvet)(▼ 7)
16EASYLE SSERAFIM(▲ 3)
17YURA YURAZEROBASEONE(▲ 34)
18TAPTAEYONG (NCT)(▼ 4)
19RooftopYooA (OH MY GIRL)(▼ 12)
20We Don’t Stopxikers(▲ 31)
212 ProudApl.de.Ap, Sandara Park (2NE1)(▲ 30)
22ONE SPARKTWICE(▼ 5)
23I’m ReadyCHUNG HA(▲ 28)
24EmptinessBoA(▼ 18)
25MagneticILLIT(▼ 7)
26HEYDAYXODIAC(▲ 25)
271 MINUTEYUGYEOM (GOT7)(▲ 23)
28CirclesASTRO(▲ 5)
29YoYoRESCENE(▲ 1)
30Navy BlueWooseok (PENTAGON)(▲ 21)

[Album Review] Livelock (4th Mini Album) – Xdinary Heroes

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I am still wrapping up my list of 2023 album reviews, which I am expecting to have wrapped next weekend. Next on my dwindling list of albums is Xdinary Heroes’ Livelock, which was released in October 2023 alongside the music video for the title track Break The Brake. Following the album release, music videos for PLUTO and AGAIN? AGAIN! also dropped – the former got its own review which I posted last week, while the latter song’s review is located in this post. An additional four songs are featured on the album, rounding the tracklist for Livelock to 7 songs.

If you missed it, the band’s performance for Break The Brake earned them a nomination and win for Best Band Performance of 2023 in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. And that recognition should also be expanded to cover the entire mini-album, as the tracks on the album were all of a very high calibre and explored various rock and punk sounds in a very appealing and enticing manner.

Livelock Album Cover

1. Freddy – Xdinary Heroes begin the album with a very lively song. Freddy actually feels fitting for a fast-paced chase scene in an action-comedy movie – the song’s lyrics are also about a chase. The rhythm in this track was intense, but also fun at the same time. It makes for an interesting and compelling atmosphere. The drumming was definitely the main driver of this. It was also backed up with some animated vocals that kept the momentum of Freddy going. I also really like how they went full head-banging rock as part of the bridge. A very strong start to the album. (10/10)

2. Break The Brake (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Break The Brake. (9/10)

3. PLUTO – Click here for the full review of PLUTO. (9/10)

4. Enemy – Enemy talks about how you are your own biggest enemy. It is an emo-rock song that has a fair bit of tension to it. When the track reaches the chorus, all of that tension is released in a very intense and loaded manner that makes Enemy shine. The electric guitar at the end is a bit skittish, but works well with the rest of the track. The vocal work has a conflicted tone to it, which makes perfect sense to this track. (8/10)                                                                                                                                   

5. Bad Chemical – Bad Chemical bring synths and industrial rock together. I love the head banging potential behind the chorus of this track. It makes the song so much more thrilling. The shoutier motif that the members adopted with their chorus delivery made sure they could be heard over the packed instrumentation, and it added to that thrilling nature I just mentioned. Other parts saw more melodic vocals, which sound quite nice as well. (9/10)

6. Paranoid – With the likes of Good Enough in Xdinary Heroes’ repertoire, I am excited for another rock ballad from the band. Paranoid doesn’t give off that same spark as the former song did, but I find it so interesting that they managed to make a song about being insecure so dreamy. Jungsu’s long note was spectacular, and I like the raspier motif each vocalist brings to the song. I also like how the rock amps up throughout the song. (9/10)

7. AGAIN? AGAIN! – The mini-album ends off with another fast-paced and fun track. AGAIN? AGAIN! is very much a different song to the one that opened that the track thanks to its much brighter pop punk energy. It celebrates the idea of falling in love again. The drumming and guitar work goes hard in this track, which makes this track exhilarating to listen to, particularly in that instrumental break. The combination of such a positive message and energising atmosphere just makes it so profound. ICYMI – Xdinary Heroes did release a self-cam music video for this track. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.1/10

Livelock Teaser Image

[Review] Youth – YUNHO & MINGI (ATEEZ)

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As previously flagged, I am gearing up to review ATEEZ’s The World EP.Fin: Will. But I will be reviewing the unit and solo tracks that has an accompanying music video released in January of this year first. So far I have reviewed HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA’s MATZ and YEOSANG, SAN and WOOYOUNG’s IT’s You. Today, I will be reviewing YUNHO & MINGI’s Youth.

Out of the four side-tracks that I will be reviewing from the The World EP. Fin: Will album, Youth is the most recognisable track of the bunch. There are a few elements within Youth that has made the song stay with me since its release in December. The most profound element is the song’s melodic flow. I find that the melodies in Youth bring out a nostalgia factor that ultimately makes the song so comforting and inviting to listen to. Further to that, the combination of MINGI’s raspy vocals and YUNHO’s crisper tone makes the melody feel so soothing to listen and ring out even louder after the fact. This definitely helps makes the song catchy and memorable. The hooks also help out with this memorable factor of Youth. The second element that stands out to me is the instrumental. It opts for a softer tone that I wished ATEEZ explores a bit more. I feel there is potential for the group to delve into this sound further. The combination of the melancholy piano and subtle sprinkle of brass, alongside the comfortable band instrumentation, just re-emphasise all of the descriptors that I have already mentioned for Youth. Even the rapping from MINGI was well balanced and I liked his presence in the song.

Youth is about the struggles that one experience at a young age and how it was tough yet under-played by adults who think they know better. And in the music video, we see both MINGI and YUNHO come to terms with their struggles. MINGI’s character’s struggles appears to be with other people – the societal struggles, based on how he is always surrounded or is with someone wearing a black mask. In a later scene, we see a shadow of MINGI with arrows in his back, representing the various ‘shots’ people have taken at him. YUNHO, on the other hand, is by himself for majority of the video and I think that represents a more personal and internal struggle. The broken car might represent his attempts to get away from it all. In the end, the video ends with their house (for MINGI’s character) and garage (for YUNHO’s character) burn down and we see them run away with one another, suggesting that their friendship has helped them move forward from the struggles. Aside from the plot, I like the warmer hue of the video, which enhances all of the above that I mentioned about the song.

Again, no formal performance video for this song release. So I am relying on the snippets that are in the music video and a fan-cam of the performance from their concert. The performance actually looks quite nice. Just like the other elements of the comeback, the performance also came had a comforting vibe. The suits the pair donned made the stage look more sophisticated and was probably to highlight the fact they are at a more mature stage of their lives now, and I really liked the jazzy interlude I saw the pair perform as part of their stage. I also think YUNHO shined with this performance, with his cool solo moment in the bridge.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] C’est La Vie – CRAVITY

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Keeping to traditional, CRAVITY has returned to the stage with a follow-up release to February’s Love or Die. Also released as part of the group’s 7th mini-album, EVERSHINE, is the track C’est La Vie, which the group will be promoting as the second single from the mini-album. Yesterday, the group dropped the music video for C’est La Vie, which has prompted today’s review post.

For me, I thought C’est La Vie was one of the more mellow and plainer dance tracks off EVERSHINE (from what I can remember when I checked out the mini-album). So it is interesting to me that it was chosen to be the follow-up single for EVERSHINE. Presently, I don’t have a clear pick for what could have been a better pick (I will need to revisit the album to decide that). But C’est La Vie would not have been my first choice. There are some elements in the song give C’est La Vie some edge, such as the consistently pounding beat and the rougher post-chorus sequence that follows the chorus. The pre-chorus has a blissful vibe to it, and the accompanying rap surprisingly pairs well with said atmosphere. But aside from thaose aspects, the rest of C’est La Vie felt ordinary and doesn’t really speak to me as much. I think the chorus could have been bolder and defined and the verses didn’t have much going aside from that pounding beat I already mentioned. As a whole piece and considering my thoughts on the song above are quite balanced, I find myself indifferent to C’est La Vie.

The music video appears to be influenced by stories such as Peter Pan (via the presence of the kids and CRAVITY, whom I think are a version of the Lost Boys in the video) and Howl’s Moving Castle (via the presence of the older lady in the video, who turns into a Miyazaki anime-styled older lady giant that looks similar to the Witch of the Waste). Both of these stories touch upon the idea of life, which is fitting for a song titled after the French translation of the phrase ‘Such is life’. I like the fun and chaos that is brought around by the little kids and CRAVITY in the music video, especially at the start. At the peak of the video, TAEYONG and one of the young kids come together to take down the anime-style giant lady, and return the giant to her original form – the older lady we see earlier in the video, whom we see again at the end of the video with the kid.

The choreography looks good, based on the snippets that are included in the music video and a fan-cam I found of their performance at their fan-con. Their synchronisation during the first pre-chorus made that sequence looks cool, and I liked the intensity they give off during the post-chorus sequence.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] Bye My Monster – ONF

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ONF makes their comeback today with their latest single Bye My Monster and their 8th mini-album, Beautiful Shadow. This is ONF’s first comeback since their Love Effect comeback in October of last year.

From the very first listen, I was already blown away with Bye My Monster. For me, it was the crafting of the two sound profiles, at first sounds distinct, but comes together so well in the end to create a stunner. The first verse gave me Moscow Moscow vibes (an infamous song from ONF’s arsenal), thanks to the presence of the Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No.2 sample. And that same vibe re-emerges each time the classical sounds reappear in the song. The chorus introduces a hint of rock to the mix, which helps makes the choruses feel explosive and gripping. All throughout these two distinct sound profiles, the group showcases their vocals so well. The timing of their vocal delivery was really complementary to the style of music in that moment and helped heighten the associated feelings you get from the two styles. Bye My Monster very quickly peaks when the two sound profiles of classical and band/rock join forces in the bridge. This combination isn’t anything new, but Bye My Monster found the sweet spot between the two to give us that intensity. Hyojin and E-Tion’s high note was incredible. Following the rush of intensity, the group pans between each other to give us a softer side, with falsettos and the re-emergence of the classical touch. The only other thing I have yet to mention is the rapping. That step-up in the second verse was rather interesting. To me, it feels a little mismatch for this song, but I don’t hate it. Maybe a few more listens to Bye My Monster will help warm me up to it. But overall, another top-notch piece.

Just like the song, the music video for Bye My Monster is a stunner, as well. The visuals and post-production in this video is at its A-game. The scene that made me go wow was the explosion clouds o on the tall building in the background during the choreography shots for the second chorus of the song. The song itself warns that love, in this instance, had created a monster within the members. We see the members realize what has become of them. Wyatt’s eyes and the acting by some of the other members portrayed this well. Hyojin’s character is surrounded by a dark cloud that I presume signifies the transition to a monster. Through the other scenes involving the other members (and the choreography shots), we see the members observes their angelic forms (white suits). But they know deep down that their monster form (black suits) is the end result. While the ending was a little cryptic and could be open ended, I think Hyojin hold hands with his angelic form in the dark clouds, which backs my theory they knew they were always going to be monsters – that they were always one. That’s my theory – I would like hear what yours is.

The performance for this comeback (FYI – the group has already performed the track at their recent concert, so I watched a few fancams for this section) finds a balance between the gracefulness of the classical music and the more hard-hitting moments of the song. And this balance makes for a great performance. The verses were the more interesting moments in the choreography. In the music video, they looked quite cool, so I can’t wait to see them better through the weekly music shows.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] PLUTO – Xdinary Heroes

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Xdinary Heroes made their comeback way back in October 2023 with Break The Brake and the mini-album Livelock. Since then, the band was awarded the Best Band Performance in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. I am preparing to review the mini-album (one of the last album reviews for 2023 for now, so I can make a start on 2024 albums). But in order to do this, I will need to review second track from the mini-album that got the music video treatment – PLUTO.

I am trying to rack my brains and remember if I actually have listened to Livelock at all since its release. And I am not sure if I have. I put that down to being overworked and stressed throughout 2023. And if I did listen to the album, I am utterly disappointed in myself for not remembering a song like PLUTO. PLUTO is by far on of Xdinary Heroes’ best tracks thus far. Xdinary Heroes tackles an almost pure pop-punk track head on, giving us a very refreshing and impactful side-track on the mini-album. The pop-punk direction that PLUTO heads in is definitely head-banging worthy. The vocal work is superb, for the most part. Jungsu and Jooyeon sound so blissful in PLUTO, especially when we get to the chorus where they push themselves vocally and the rock instrumentation surges us forward. This momentum feels fitting, as the song’s lyrics expresses the feeling that there is nothing in between another, even if they might be as far apart as the distance between Earth and PLUTO. Now, there is a caveat in the vocal department. I am not a fan of Gaon and Ode’s rapping. The change-up here didn’t feel needed, felt awkwardly executed, and didn’t add any value to the song. Their vocals (even Ode’s autotuned singing) was fine. It is just the rapping that gets to me. Other than that, PLUTO would have been a perfect song.

I wished the music video was a more than just the band performing PLUTO in a room. It feels incredibly plain, despite the camera work and lighting helping make the video feel a little more dynamic to complement the song. Despite that, I think the video highlights that head-banging potential that PLUTO has. Also, Gaon in those shorts and boots was a little distracting for me. His legs are fine, it was more so the combination of the two. 😀

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 1st Week of April 2024

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Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post – this time for the 1st Week of April 2024. How is it already April? There isn’t much to update on today aside from the fact that song and album reviews are on the card for later today and this week. Maybe a few reviews for some ‘older releases’ are in the mix for later this week. I will see how much energy I have after work. But while you await for the next review, here are the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week of April 2024.

Throwback Song of the Week

Each week I pick a song from the past to feature in this segment. It is recognition for the fact I listen to more than just the currently charting songs. And revisiting these songs are truly a blast from the past. Plus, I am hoping that this segment introduces new listeners to some great songs that I have enjoyed from my many years of listening to KPOP. The throwback song for this past week is SNSD’s PARTY (from 2015).

Non-Korean Song of the Week

As my focus on this blog is primarily on KPOP songs, I draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in the Korean language in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song is the top ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. The past week’s non-Korean song of the week, for the second week in a row, is MAX and HUH JUNJIN’s (from LE SSERAFIM) STUPID IN LOVE. It ranks in the second position this week.

The Charts

Congratulations to TXT and their latest single Deja Vu for debuting in the top spot for the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week of April 2024.

PositionSong TitleArtistChange
1Deja VuTXT(NEW)
2STUPID IN LOVEMAX ft. Huh Yunjin (LE SSERAFIM)(▲ 11)
3SHEESHBABYMONSTER(NEW)
4SmoothieNCT DREAM(▼ 3)
5Welcome To The ShowDAY6(=)
6EmptinessBoA(▲ 21)
7RooftopYooA (OH MY GIRL)(▲ 2)
8Wish You HellWENDY (Red Velvet)(▼ 6)
9Killin’ ItP1Harmony(▲ 17)
10Love or DieCRAVITY(▲ 1)
11Beautiful MAZEDRIPPIN(NEW)
12SUPERWOMANUNIS(▲ 47)
13ShopperIU(▲ 1)
14TAPTAEYONG (NCT)(▲ 1)
15SmartLE SSERAFIM(▼ 3)
16Bam Yang GangBIBI(▼ 9)
17ONE SPARKTWICE(▼ 9)
18MagneticILLIT(▼ 14)
19EASYLE SSERAFIM(▲ 9)
20NEURONj-hope (BTS) with Gaeko & Yoon Mirae(▲ 38)
21NectarTHE BOYZ(▼ 18)
22Like MagicJ.Y. Park, Stray Kids, ITZY, NMIXX(▼ 12)
23FRI(END)SV (BTS)(▼ 6)
24Midas TouchKISS OF LIFE(NEW)
25Red Sunxikers(▲ 34)
26FUEGOThe New Six (TNX)(▼ 3)
27NOT OKAYATEEZ(▲ 32)
28The Knight Who Can’t Die and the Silk CradleLUCY(▼ 4)
29HolssiIU(▲ 30)
30YoYoRESCENE(▲ 29)

[Album Review] Golden (1st Studio Album) – Jung Kook (BTS)

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Late to the game as always. But I am finally getting around to reviewing Jung Kook’s solo studio album. Golden. Golden was released by Jung Kook in November last year prior to his military enlistment in December 2023. The 11-song tracklist boasts Jung Kook’s 2023 singles, including the title track Standing Next To You, July 2023’s SEVEN (featuring Latto) and September 2023’s 3D (fearing Jack Harlow). Per usual with all of my album reviews, links to the reviews for these songs and my individual thoughts on each song are down below.

My thoughts on the album is simple. Golden is a predominately pop album that was perfectly curated for Jung Kook. I wouldn’t want to imagine the pressure of putting this album together, since it was so highly anticipated by fans in Korea and globally. But he really made sure it exceeded expectations that everyone had. The album itself also sees Jung Kook collaborate with some big names in the pop industry – including Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes. The album is also fully in English.

1. 3D (ft. Jack Harlow) – Click here to read my review for 3D. (8.5/10)

2. Closer To You (ft. Major Lazer) – Closer To You is a muted R&B track, with a reggae touch and enticing bass-line in the instrumental. There is a lot of tension in this track, but I find to be more subtle and of backseat manner. It is definitely there in Closer To You, but it isn’t in your face about it. Jung Kook brings a soft and breathy tone to the song, which works extremely well with rest of the track and makes it even more seductive and alluring to listen to. (9/10)

3. Seven (Explicit Version) (ft. Latto) – Click here to read my review for Seven. (9/10)

4. Standing Next To You (Title Track) – Click here to read my review for Standing Next To You. (7/10)

5. Yes or No – Jung Kook taps squarely into the pop genre with Yes or No. If you look at the team behind the song, you will see super pop star Ed Sheeran’s name, which explains why Yes or No feels so familiar. The track features a catchy guitar riff in the background, and it falls to the bright side of the spectrum. Jung Kook’s vocals definitely contributes to that commend the fact that his vocals were crisp and clear throughout this track. I would have liked something more, as it feels a little too simple and consistent. But it was a great track nonetheless. (8/10)

6. Please Don’t Change (ft. DJ Snake) – The upbeatness of Please Don’t Change makes it feel fitting for the dance floor. The track employs afro-beats and electro-pop, which makes for a really cool mix. The instrumental never really peaks, keeping fairly neutral overall. I find this direction (or lack thereof) to be quite charming and it makes complete sense considering the title of the song speaks to the desire not wanting one’s lover to change. The neutral feeling also flows into Jung Kook’s vocals. (8/10)

7. Hate You – Hate You is a pop ballad that I always close my eyes to when it pops up. It is the only way in which I can fully appreciate the song and take it all in. Jung Kook’s vocals is stunningly beautiful yet so heartbreaking at the same time. Hate You’s message of hating a former lover to make life easier is conveyed so well that you can feel Jung Kook’s pain in this voice. And this in itself speaks volume to the talent that is Jung Kook. This is all over a simple and minimalistic piano. The track boasts Shawn Mendes as part of the team behind it. (10/10)

8. Somebody – Somebody sees Jung Kook’s vocals processed and altered in a way that gives him a deeper voice. It is an interesting and peculiar result that I am not entirely sure of. But it doesn’t mean Somebody is a bad song. The deeper tone does pair well with the bass that features in the R&B instrumentation. I really like the beat and detailing synths to this this track, particularly in the parts without any vocals. (8/10)

9. Too Sad To Dance – Returning to the pop genre with a more acoustic direction is Too Sad To Dance. I find myself nodding along to the song, and enjoy the simplicity of Jung Kook’s vocals in this song. But when I dive deeper into the song, I find the happier and cheerful demeanour of the vocals and the sad and emotional lyrics to be an interesting contrast. I am honestly not sure what I should be feeling when I listen to the song, as a result. (7.5/10)

10. Shot Glass of Tears – The final original song on the album is Shot Glass of Tears, which is another pop ballad. I liked the pace of this track and Jung Kook continues to sound good in this song. The atmosphere that builds in the background as Shot Glass of Tears was intriguing in a not so good way. I am not entirely sure if it was needed or what its purpose was. (7/10)

11. Seven (Clean Version) (ft. Latto) – See my thoughts on Seven above.

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

Golden Teaser Image

[Review] IT’s You – YEOSANG, SAN & WOOYOUNG (ATEEZ)

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Back in March, I flagged that I would be review the unit and solo tracks from ATEEZ’s The World EP.Fin: Will studio album ahead of the album review, as each of these track got the music video treatment. I had reviewed HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA’s MATZ before completely pausing these ATEEZ reviews. But they are still on my radar to review. Today, I will be focusing on YEOSANG, SAN and WOOYOUNG’s unit track IT’s You.

IT’s You taps into R&B and I am all for it. It isn’t the most memorable track from the album, but like most R&B tracks, IT’s You is charming. The sensual vibes come through the instrumental quite well, and the this particular trio of ATEEZ members executes it well. Most of their vocals are sultry and seductive, which I find complements the R&B nature of the song quite well. SAN in particularly stood out for me as his vocals help bring the smoothness to the song. Nothing else really caught my attention that I could really remember after the fact. But if I had to pick what got close to also being memorable were the chorus melody, the suspenseful interlude we get after the first chorus and the whispery delivery of the bridge. It is just these elements didn’t go far enough and stay with me after the song wrapped. My biggest qualm about the IT’s You is the autotune at the start in YEOSANG’s opening verse. He handles vocals well, as demonstrated later in the song, so I am not sure if the heavy autotune was needed. Also I am not convinced that the autotune added anything to IT’s You, noting the rest of the song was delivered with vocals that were far less autotuned.

Set in an alleyway, the music video does a good job of complementing the smoothness and R&B tones of the song, yet maintaining that edginess that the ATEEZ always manages to infuse into their outputs. The smoothness comes thought via the editing, with the transitions giving off that smooth and fluidity. The R&B/sensual tones comes through the limited range of solo shots and the more dominantly featured choreography shots. There honestly isn’t much to the music video, but it works well as a visual representation of IT’s You.

As mentioned above, sexiness came through the music video via the visuals, with a large part of that being the choreography. YEOSANG, SAN and WOOYOUNG executed sensual vibes and tones quite well, making it a riveting performance. Their solo moments were also quite good. My only question is why didn’t the trio get a performance video, as well. They deserve one!

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Beautiful MAZE- DRIPPIN

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DRIPPIN makes their first comeback in a year, returning with their newest single Beautiful MAZE and their 4th single album of the same name. I thought I pick up this comeback and review it now while close its official release date, rather than repeat what I did with SEVEN SINS (i.e., wait a good lengthy 7 months to review the track). Also, the group is currently promoting without Changuk, who is sitting out for medical reasons.

Beautiful MAZE is good, but it isn’t great. It is pleasant and enjoyable. But it also a ‘safe release’. It keeps close to itself and doesn’t expand into anything that memorable in the end. For a group who can definitely handle dynamism, Beautiful MAZE feels a little lackluster. Nothing comes off as memorable in its instrumental. You don’t really remember much from this department once the song wraps up. Only did I really pay attention to Beautiful MAZE did I register the fact that I liked the sprinkling of the synth pop in the background of the new wave genre. That being said, playing it safe and going with a softer toned instrumental does give DRIPPIN the opportunity to focus more on the melodic side of delivery, which helps makes this track ‘pleasant and enjoyable’ as I had already pointed out. The rapping in the track also went with a similar motif, opting for a somewhat softer demeanour. Altogether, this helps create a fluid track. I just wished that was something more to Beautiful MAZE to give it roughness and edge. Something interesting to sink our teeth in. It could have easily been an instrumental sequence somewhere in the song that could have briefly changed up the song and that the group could have used for a dance break.

The lyrics of Beautiful MAZE expresses the emotions associated with relationships and breakups as like being in a maze. And we see the members go through a rollercoaster of different emotions throughout the video. But the display of those emotions are rather subtle, and so the music video just looks like a casual video of the members hanging out together. I particularly liked the second set of the choreography scenes, with the way the drone camera pans around them. I also like the editing of the video where images of the members flash before us rapidly, just prior to the final chorus.

Dance-wise, while the song does go with a softer tone, the group still manages to make the song appear lively on stage. They also did tap into their delicate side to execute the choreography and ensure it complements the song, whist also showing some energy to the performance.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Deja Vu – TXT

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Also making their comeback at the start of the week was TXT with their 6th mini-album titled Minisode 3: Tomorrow. Leading this mini-album is the title track Deja Vu. This new release follows on from TXT’s October 2023 comeback with Chasing That Feeling and The Name Chapter: Freefall.

New song Deja Vu takes us down a more emotive route, with the new song relying less on instrumentation and flair to connect with the audience. Instead, Deja Vu relies more on the members’ delivery and melodies to convey their emotions and message of the song. And by extension, I feel that Deja Vu‘s rock elements (amongst the trap) in instrumental aids in that as well. It becomes more noticeable and profound the more you listen to Deja Vu, particularly in the later parts of the song. Despite the harmonious intent of the song’s elements, I do think that Deja Vu isn’t their strongest release to date. We have heard TXT pour emotions (of some form) into their comebacks in the past but they were successful as they had some form of a punchy demeanour (e.g., 0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)). I find that to be a missing element in Deja Vu. Instead, the production of Deja Vu to be more of a seamless construction – continuous and consistent. This isn’t a criticism of Deja Vu, however. I find the seamless nature of the trap and rock elements makes the song its own thing. I just think Deja Vu needs a bit more character (and have said character flow onto other parts of the song) to really take it to the next level and be more memorable.

The song’s lyrics “express how [someone wants to] reunite like promised in the past, describing the moment of reunion as deja vu” (taken from SOOMPI). And in the music video, we see the members convey the feelings and desire of wanting to reunite with someone in their past. From the looks of it, the determination to reunite, the feeling of being lost and the anticipation of the reunion were some feelings explored by the members in the video. I also like how in one of Heung Kai’s scene part way through the video, it looks like he was knocked back, which may depict the times in which a reunion was in sight, but wasn’t fruitful for one reason or another. I liked how the video’s colour palette also plays into the emotional side

The emotions are definitely conveyed well in the performance for Deja Vu. That was my main takeaway from watching the performance. My favourite aspect of the routine has to be the rock coloured dance break we get, where Yeonjun does an amazing high kick spin. Best part of the routine, in my opinion.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] SHEESH – BABYMONSTER

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That time machine I have been using the last few days has just enough juice to take me back to the present day, in time for my return to the blog. So, I will be relieving the time machine for a bit of a recharge and focus on more recent releases. And there are a few to choose from, so I am just going with the first release of the week – BABYMONSTER’s SHEESH. The new single from the new group follows on from their debut with BATTER UP and the all-English pre-release Stuck In The Middle (which I have yet to review). SHEESH also marks the debut of member Ahyeon, who sat out of BABYMONSTER’s debut and subsequent release due to health reasons.

SHEESH‘s title says it all for me. If I could end the review there (I technically can), I would leave it there and call it a day. No matter how many times I have replayed SHEESH, I cannot get over the strikingly awful hook that makes up the chorus of the song, It was quite grating to listen to each time and I cannot fathom why the producers thought it would be a good statement piece. Granted, I assume the attitude loaded nature of BABYMONSTER’9 delivery was what they were going towards. This chorus disappoints further when I consider the opening verse, which is where I thought YG Entertainment was finally doing something a little different for once thanks to the presence of the spooky piano. Long behold, the company didn’t. They went right for the same overdone formula they have constructed most (if not all) their releases with. The rapping in the second verse was fine, but I wished the backing was a bit more innovative and did not make the members/SHEESH sound like they were (once again) rehashing the same formula. The bridge held some promise thanks to the return of the spooky-esque piano, but this was shortlived with the subsequent sequence/outro. The producers thought they were doing some different with SHEESH. But in between the marching band, the whispery chant and probably the worst anthem outro to date, this all goes back to that predictable formula that YG is so insistent on using. There are times when the formula can be exciting, as demonstrated by TREASURE with JIKJIN. But in SHEESH, it felt tiring and overdone.

While I am usually impressed with the music video that YG Entertainment puts out, SHEESH (the song) puts me into the mindset that we have seen everything before. For the most part, the video doesn’t feel like it does anything new and feels like a rehash of the music videos that YG usually releases, particularly from BLACKPINK. However, I will give points on the fact that the music video sets did conform to the more spooky sounds at the start and bridge, whilst also adopt a modern flavour during the more electronic moments of the song. I also like the set that showed ‘paintings’ of the members during the bridge.

Based on what we could see in the music video for the choreography, I think my comments regarding the showcase of attitude stands here. Throw a bit of a stomp into the mix to really emphasis that the members mean business. If that was the purpose of the routine, then BABYMONSTER succeeded. If not, then it was a decent routine nonetheless.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 5.5/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 4th Week of March 2024

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Welcome back for the Weekly KPOP Charts segment. Easter has come and gone (again), and I am back from my break as of today. Today isn’t going to be a review day, as I had a number of things to get in order to prepare for the short work week ahead. Normal transmissions of reviews for the latest releases will begin tomorrow. But until then, here is the Weekly KPOP Charts for the previous week – the 4th Week of March 2024.

Throwback Song of the Week

Each week I pick a song from the past to feature in this segment. It is recognition for the fact I listen to more than just the currently charting songs. And revisiting these songs are truly a blast from the past. Plus, I am hoping that this segment introduces new listeners to some great songs that I have enjoyed from my many years of listening to KPOP. The throwback song for this past week is IMFACT’s Lollipop (from 2016), which I repeated multiple times on an overnight bus ride I took at the start of my break.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

As my focus on this blog is primarily on KPOP songs, I draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in the Korean language in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song is the top ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. The past week’s non-Korean song of the week is MAX and HUH JUNJIN’s (from LE SSERAFIM) STUPID IN LOVE. I am glad I can finally say this as this track has really been on my mind since its release a few weeks ago. The track is super catchy and fun sounding.

The Charts

Congratulations to NCT DREAM and their latest single Smoothie for debuting in the top spot for the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 4th Week of March 2024.

PositionSong TitleArtistChange
1SmoothieNCT DREAM(NEW)
2Wish You HellWENDY (Red Velvet)(▲ 10)
3NectarTHE BOYZ(▼ 1)
4MagneticILLIT(NEW)
5Welcome To The ShowDAY6(▼ 4)
6Super Lady(G)I-DLE(▲ 1)
7Bam Yang GangBIBI(▲ 54)
8ONE SPARKTWICE(▼ 4)
9RooftopYooA (OH MY GIRL)(=)
10Like MagicJ.Y. Park, Stray Kids, ITZY, NMIXX(▲ 51)
11Love or DieCRAVITY(▲ 5)
12SmartLE SSERAFIM(▲ 22)
13STUPID IN LOVEMAX ft. Huh Yunjin (LE SSERAFIM)(▲ 6)
14ShopperIU(▲ 7)
15TAPTAEYONG (NCT)(▲ 18)
16NightwalkerTEN (NCT)(▲ 45)
17FRI(END)SV (BTS)(▼ 11)
18BODYHIGHLIGHT(▼ 15)
19Can We Love Without Going Crazy?Park Je Up ft. Kim Dohee(▲ 28)
20I GOT YOUTWICE(▲ 21)
21We Don’t Stopxikers(▼ 13)
22Fifty-FiftyBAE173(▲ 7)
23FUEGOThe New Six (TNX)(▲ 4)
24The Knight Who Can’t Die and the Silk CradleLUCY(▲ 37)
25PASTELLUN8(▲ 36)
26Killin’ ItP1Harmony(▼ 13)
27EmptinessBoA(NEW)
28EASYLE SSERAFIM(▲ 4)
29Stuck In The MiddleBABYMONSTER(▲ 6)
30Sugar RushBIBI(▲ 31)

[Review] Voyage – Geenius

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Despite still being in January 2024, my time machine takes me back a few weeks to 5 January 2024 to review Geenius’ debut digital single Voyage. Geenius is a 5 member female group (consisting of Yeyoung, Sion, Mika, Zoe and Andamiro) under HOMe.

As a debut song, Voyage sets up Geenius quite well. The first impression I got out of Voyage is that the song features some really nice vocal work, which definitely complements other parts of the song. The instrumentation for Voyage takes on that upbeat yet dreamy form of pop, and the vocals contribute towards that dreamy motif via their melodies and smooth vocal work. I really liked the cheerfulness and hopeful vibes you get from the song, which brings both a smile and comforting feel to Voyage. Voyage also features a bit of rapping, which I thought was a decent effort. Reflecting after the fact on Voyage, I do think there could be some improvements to make it more memorable. Until I picked up the song for review, I didn’t remember much of it. While the melodies were good, the hooks for Voyage were somewhat lacking. The instrumental could have also been more punchy, and the producers could have leverage that to help make the song more catchy. But as a whole. Voyage was a fair debut track and does a decent job of introducing us to Geenius. Cannot wait to see what else this new group has to offer in the future.

The song lyrics talk about escaping reality and going on an overnight “voyage” with a loved one to one’s dream. And in the video, we see the members go on a voyage themselves, with Zoe sketching the place the group goes to into her book at the start of the video. Part way through the video, someone takes the book from Zoe whilst she is asleep, alluding to the fact that her loved one (i.e., the other members) made Zoe’s dream the destination. That is my interpretation of the video. Aside from that, I thought the video was quite nice visually and very high quality for a unknown company. This definitely showcases the members well.

The choreography for this debut is also quite nice, just like the song and music video. I did like the ‘prettiness’ that the routine exuded. I particularly enjoyed like the post-chorus sequence, where the members used their hands to represent a star going over their heads. It was cute and looked memorable in my books.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10